Overflow device for liquid containers



Aug. 13, 1946. M, R ER 2,405,849

OVERFLOW DEVICE FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed NOV. 13, 1943 flq. 3

1 MALCOLM 0. mask 1 v f q BY Patented Aug. 13, 1946 OVERFLOW DEVICE FOR LIQUID "CONTAINERS .Malcolm D. Biker, Detroit; Mich.

Application November 13,1943, Serial N0.' 51'0;2-23

4 Claims.

1 This invention relate to-overfiow devices for liquid containers, the principal Object being to provide a 'meansassociated withthe container whereby a desired-depth of liquid ma be maintained therein under =a-constant flow of liquid thereto.

The particular function of the device is to discharge'the liquid from the surface of the body thereof in the. container'to the outlet and by use of the-device in a bath-tub the scum which accumulates on the surface of the waterwithin 'a bath tub is, in my improvedapparatus, constantly being discharged to the outlet an'd 'thus, withthe inlet valve open to provide a desired volume of flow per unit of time thereinto, a constant level of liquid is maintained in the tub.

*Whilel have shown abath tub in the drawing,

*myimproved overflow device would readily function with other'types-of containers wherein the fioatingmatter that may be introduced with fluid into the container is constantly discharged to the outlet.

Theseand other features andobjectso'f-the invention-arehereinafter more fully 'described and claimed and shown in-preferredform in theac- 'companying drawing in which- Fig. 1- is "a sectional elevation of the discharge end of a container such as a bathtub showingmy improved overfiow device.

Fig; 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3is-a vertical section of a portion of'the container showing an alternative form of the overflow means.

Fig. 4is a plan viewof the form ofthe overflow means shown in FigfS.

5 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. '3.

In many liquid containers wherein material ina fluid form containing floating particles is discharged or in containers such as bathtubs wherein a scum tends to accumulate on the surface of the liquid, it is desirable in either case to provide for a constant discharge of the contaminated liquid accumulating at the surface of the liquid in the container.

Inthe form of the invention shown in Fig, 1 the container I has the usual outlet 2 adjacent the top at one end of the container and the outlet as indicated at 3 in the bottom of the tub or container. With liquid flowing into the tub from an inlet not here shown the tub could fill to the outlet indicated at 2. In order to maintain the liquid level below the outlet and in order that foreign material risin to the surface of the liquid may be discharged I provide means for maintaininga variable level :of liquid-below the usualoutlet. Thus'int atibath tubgfor instance, with-a con- .stant inflowcofwatergrprovidemeans 'for a con- :stant.overfiowabelowrthe level of the usual outlet tindicated atrZ. .f-Ihetdeviceconsists of a'flexible shield .4; which-may be formediof rubber orother flexible material, asifor 'use in-E a'bath'tub, having a peripheral-flange 5 'thereabout. and longitudinal "ribs-*6onithe outer faceof thezbody to contact :the end'rsurface of -the" tub-adjacent the outlet,

The ribs*6-- and :liange '5 provide channels open at the upper end to the interior of the tub. ZIhe flange 5 extends alongthetwo-edges and the lower end of the device, .-as indicated .in Figs. 1 and ,2,

and-.the lower horizontal portion of the-body of thetdevicecloses ,theoutlet to thebodyso that the only liquid that CanSflOW tOYthB outletis liquid thatnverfiows .the upper. end of the shield into the 1 space between thebody=4nandthe inner-surface of the-tub orcontain'er.

Thus, with "water :fiowing :into ..the tub during the time a personiis bathing-thezscumondirt that rises-to the surtaceeofthealiquid is-being constantly :discharged to .-theoutletand a constant :levelof practically clear liquid is maintained -in the tub.

The outlet fitting,'aindicated .atB. Fig. .1 ,and at =3a Fig. 3, .may-be :of any desired form as this invention is not-- .eonfin-edtto the-form of theusual bath tub outlet fittingor the similar fittings of other liquid containers in which, durin its use, za'constantwsupply of liquid-containing a material that would float .to the surface is required to be discharged while maintaining aconstant level in the container.

The shield-4 including the integral ribs .6 1s preferablyformed of rubber, or other flexible material of theisame structural features may beem- .ployed. Thus-theshield maybe variedin posi- ,tion asindicatedbydottedlines aland .al to providei-forxa 'greateror-lesser heig t liq b :maintained in the body of the containeror tub.

In the alternative form of the invention found in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the tub or receptacle Ia has an outlet 3a which extends into and its lower ends spaced from an enclosing fitting 9 to which the outlet conduit II] is connected. It is not material however to this invention what specific structural form of outlet is utilized. It is desirable, however, in the structure shown in Fig. 2 that a cap member I I be provided spaced from the bottom of the recess I2 to sustain the flexible shield I3 from being forced into closing relationship with the outlet member or conduit 3a.

The shield I3 in the form of the invention 3 shown in Fig. 3 is a flat piece of material of flexible character while the end of the body of the container is provided with ribs 1 which spaces the vertical face of the shield from contact with the wall I 4 of the container. Thus the same function is secured in that a space or a series of spaces may be provided between the shield and the wall [4 of the container, as indicated at 13a in Fig. 5, through which water may overflow to the outlet. The member 13a of Fig. 3 may be varied in position after the manner suggested in the form shown in Fig. 1 to vary the depth of liquid in the bath tub or other container.

While I have shown th shield or wall of the container as having a series of grooves providing for flow of liquid from the surface thereof in the container to the outlet, it is'pointed out that the contacting surface of one or the other of the elements may be shaped to provide a single groove of the desired cross sectional area and while I have described a flexible shield the invention is not confined to a shield having flexibility. In either case the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid in the container maintains the shield in position. It is further to be understood that the groove or grooves preferably have a cross sectional area greater than that of the inlet.

Either form of the invention serves the same purposes; that is to provide for a continuous flow of water of liquid from the surface thereof in a container by reason of the continued flow of liquid thereinto.

The invention is thus serviceable in many instances to not only maintain a desired level of liquid in a container but to cause a continued flow of liquid from the surface of the body there of to the outlet. By this arrangement the liquid remaining in the'body of the tub or container is in a practically pure state during the use of the device irrespective of the fact that extraneous material of less specific gravity may be introduced into the liquidbody during its use.

From the foregoing description it is believed evident that the features and objects of the invention are attained by the structural arrangement and relationship of the various parts and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An overflow device for a bath tub or other liquid container having a main outlet in its bottom adjacent one wall thereof and an overflow outlet in the said wall adjacent the top, comprising a flexible shield formed of a comparatively flat sheet of material provided with parallel ribs on on surface thereof and providing, when the parts are in position, passageways for liquid open at the upper end to receive liquid and at the bottom to discharge to the tub outlet, the arrangement permitting adjustment of the shield to vary the height of the open end of the passageways from the bottom of the tub, thereby providing for continual flow of liquid to the tub from the inlet without materially varying the level of the liquid in the tub.

2. An overflow device for a liquid container having side and end walls and a bottom having an outlet, comprising a flexible rubber shield havin a series of parallel ribs on one surface thereof providing a means for spacing the body of the shield from a wall and the bottom of the container adjacent the outlet, said ribs providing passageways open to the interior of the container at on end only and to the outlet, the flexibility of the shield permitting the same to be adjusted in position longitudinally of the bottom and end wall ofthe container to vary the height of the open end of the passageway from the bottom of the container and otherwise prevent flow of liquid from the container to the outlet.

3. An overflow device for a liquid container hav ing side and end walls and a bottom having an outlet, comprising a shield formed of a flat sheet of material having a passageway open at one end to receive liquid from the surface of the body thereof in the container and at the opposite end opening to the outlet, the shield being flexible Dermitting manual movement thereof along a wall of the body and bottom thereof about the outlet to thereby vary the position of the upper end of the shield relative to the bottom of the container, and being maintained in adjusted position by the hy drostatic pressure of the liquid in the container.

4. An overflow device for a bath tub having a main outlet in its bottom adjacent one end and an overflow outlet in said end adjacent the top, comprising a comparatively thin flexible shield of a desired width positionable in the tub to seal the outlet in the bottom of the tub and to extend upwardly along said end of the tub and movable to vary the height of the upper end of the shield above the tub bottom, the surface of one of the members facing the other having parallel ribs spacing the shield from both the said end and bottom of the tub and providing a series of parallel passageways open at the upper end of the shield providing for flow of liquid from the tub to the outlet, the flexibility of the shield permitting variation in the position of the upper end thereof relative to the bottom of the tub and permitting longitudinal movement thereof along the end wall and bottom of the tub to position the upper open end of the passageways at the desired height above the tub bottom to thereby provide for a predetermined liquid level in the tub and permitting a continual flow of liquid'to the tube without material variation in the level of the liquid therein. MALCOLM D. RIKER. 

